Trump links world security to Greenland and criticizes Norway for the Nobel Prize
In controversial remarks that refocus attention on his geopolitical ambitions in the Arctic, former US President and Republican candidate Donald Trump sent a sharp message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, linking global security to complete US control of Greenland, while also expressing his displeasure at not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
Linking global security to control of Greenland
Reports quoted Trump as saying that "the world is not safe" as long as the United States does not fully control the Danish island of Greenland. This statement is not a spur-of-the-moment remark, but rather recalls the major diplomatic controversy Trump sparked in August 2019 during his first term, when he openly expressed the United States' desire to purchase the world's largest island. At the time, the offer was met with staunch rejection from the Danish government and Greenlandic authorities, with the Danish Prime Minister describing the idea as "absurd," leading to a temporary diplomatic row and the cancellation of Trump's planned state visit to Copenhagen.
The strategic importance of Greenland in international conflict
Trump's remarks come against the backdrop of the growing strategic importance of the Arctic region. Militarily, Greenland hosts Thule Air Base, the northernmost US military base, which plays a vital role in ballistic missile early warning and space surveillance. Strategic analysts believe that US control of this region is essential to countering the rising influence of both Russia and China in the Arctic, especially as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and facilitates access to vast untapped natural resources such as rare earth minerals, oil, and gas.
A rebuke to Norway and the Nobel Peace Prize
In the same letter published on Monday, Trump linked his commitment to peace to the international recognition he believes he deserves. Addressing the Norwegian prime minister, Trump wrote, "Since your country decided not to award me the Nobel Peace Prize after I stopped more than eight wars, I no longer feel obligated to work solely for peace." The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a Norwegian committee in Oslo, unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded in Sweden.
Trump has long complained publicly about the Nobel Committee's neglect of his achievements, comparing himself to his predecessor Barack Obama, who received the prize early in his term. Trump believes his efforts in the Middle East (the Abraham Accords) and his attempts with North Korea deserved recognition, arguing that not receiving the prize frees him from traditional diplomatic constraints, reflecting his "contractual" view of international relations and diplomacy.
